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Gemini Israel Funds CERTIFIED

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FIRM OVERVIEW: Medium Private VC founded in 1993 based out of Herzliya, Israel (Middle East / Africa)

FIRM DESCRIPTION: Gemini, a pioneer on the Israeli VC scene, has honed a specific focus over the last fourteen years - and concentrates exclusively on Israeli, Early Stage, IT companies. All of our partners have operating experience within Israeli IT companies, many of them startups.

Posted by
kt22mike
on 2007-10-16

PUBLIC:

I have to disagree with the negative comments that were supplied regarding Daniel Cohen. While we eventually agreed that our company and Gemini were not a good fit, Daniel was quite engaged, flew multiple times to meet with us in various locations and gained a good sense of our company in a relatively short amount of time. I would have no problem working with Gemini or Daniel in the future.

So here is an interesting story, which I don't even know what to make out of it.

We contact one of their senior partners through one of our advisory board members. We are immediately contacted and being told that they are impressed with the progress we made since our last meeting a year ago (when we were looking for seed investment). They tell us that they would like us to meet with two of their "advisors;" maybe it is the same story as the one above - "advisors!" They ask us when we could meet their advisors and we send them some alternatives with dates and times.

Two weeks later we get an email saying: we decided not to move forward!

Working with Gemini, they are readily approachable and willing to hear ideas. Closing a deal with them as far more difficult. Some of the partners are quite conservative, and would require a long due-dilligence before closing.

Posted by
yuta
on 2007-08-16

PUBLIC:

Although they passed on our investment, they have been pleasant to discuss the issues, down to earth and respectful. Understood the issues and knew where they help or not.
Next time I will definitely try to pitch them.

Posted by
VCresource
on 2007-09-06

PUBLIC:

Gemini is a very competitive fund in the Israeli VC scene. They work very hard to get access to the best deal flow they can find. Generally, they are very down to earth group of VCs and less arrogant than the many of the others. They would be very fast and responsive when being approached, however they would be very slow to respond to make a decision on a deal. IT is advisable to make sure that there are other alternatives available in order to get them to respond quickly.

Posted by
chompyZ
on 2007-03-24

PUBLIC:

We came to meet with Gemini's partner and Analyst. Instead, came the Analyst with 2 other people who turned out to be in-residence entrepreneurs who got initial funding from Gemini for an idea in our line of industry and target market. We were obviously very uncomfortable with this, and their "logic" was that we might "do something together in the future"...

Going through our pitch, Assaf was very thorough and professional and got quickly to the core, his comments were always direct and honest but still respectful. Interacting with him made me feel positively on working with his fund

Posted by
botch
on 2007-11-27

PUBLIC:

Excellent people. They are modest, bring tremendous value like I have not seen before in many years of working with several VCs globally. They work with you as a team. Excellent track record.
Challenge is that they have many many investments already and each difficult "case" they had brings them to "harden" their terms in order not to "fall" again in the same situation. This creates terms which are sometimes hard to commit to. Understandable but still challenging...

I was on a BOD with Gemini and saw their actions first hand. They hired a US CEO and told him to concentrate on the US markets. The founder/VP of engineering was a liar and goofball but Gemini said they would help "manage" him as a big part of their value as the CEO could only make it to Isreal quarterly. As problems naturally occured with the founder, the Gemini guys laid it all on the CEO and told him to be in Isreal more, obviously not part of the deal or efficient use of time. They met the founder on a regular basis and just listened to his "issues" which gave the impression they were supportive of him. When additional BOD members were brought on who were friends of the founder, Gemini folded like cards and hung the CEO out to dry. Dont count on these guys for any operational help even if they offer it. Way too inexperienced.

Gemini is one of these VC that like to waist Companies time in a long and tedious process only to give you a no answer which could be given after the first 10 minutes of the first meeting, like we do not invest in this market segment.